Romans Series 2
2 - Jews and Gentiles
Romans chapter 9 verse 21 in the New King James Version says this: “Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honour and another for dishonour?” And the Living Bible paraphrase puts verses 22-24 this way: “Does not God have a perfect right to show His fury and power against those who are fit only for destruction, those He has been patient with for all this time? And He has a right to take others, such as ourselves, who have been made as containers for the riches of His glory, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, and to be kind to us so that everyone can see how very great His glory is.” The vessels for honour are such just because of mercy: His own hand has prepared them for glory.
The vessels for dishonour are such because of wrath (an awful mystery). Now the wrath of the Holy One can fall only upon sin, so these vessels must have merited His displeasure of themselves. They are prepared for ruin, but where is any mention of His hand preparing them? Sinners prepare themselves for judgement.
In fact, glimpse the patience of God with men whom He could have rejected long ago; as though waiting, hoping they’d see the light, giving every opportunity to turn their hearts to repentance, enduring their irreligion, pride and sin.
Remember the authority of the Potter is sovereign and there is no unrighteousness with Him no matter what vessel He fashions. It’s His clay! As Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham, comments, “Israel goes into exile to be reshaped by God, the potter remoulds the clay.”
The Jews thought election was their privilege alone. They were convinced it was a racial blessing reserved only for them. Paul shows from their own scriptures, that this is not so. Here’s verses 25 and 26 in “The Living Bible”: “Remember what the prophecy of Hosea says? There God says that He will find other children for Himself (who are not from His Jewish family) and will love them, though no one had ever loved them before. And the heathen, of whom it once was said, “You are not my people”, shall be called “Sons of the Living God.”
The faithful remnant of the Jews will be saved. Israel fell because she pursued righteousness by works. Here’s Moffatt’s translation of verses 30-32: “What are we to conclude, then? That Gentiles who never aimed at righteousness have attained righteousness, that is righteousness by faith; whereas Israel who did aim at the law of righteousness have failed to reach that law. And why? Simply because Israel has relied not on faith but on what they could do. They have stumbled over the stone that makes men stumble.” The stumbling stone is Jesus. He’s the stone the builders rejected. Jesus Christ Himself is the chief corner stone.
The quotation from Isaiah 28 that ends the chapter runs like this: “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.”
The prophets proved to Paul that Jesus was the Christ. Why can’t his fellow Jews see it too? Why doesn’t the light which convinced Saul on the Damascus Road shine on them? Do you pray that the God of Israel will lighten their darkness and give them eyes to see, ears to hear and a heart to understand? The truth is that we all have scales covering our eyes. We are blind and can’t see spiritual things until, by the miracle of the new birth, our eyes are opened.
Chapter 10 of Romans begins with an impassioned plea by the apostle for the salvation of the Jews. “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” Paul’s heart burned and blazed with an increasing desire to see lost people saved. I think prayerlessness is the blight of 21st century Christianity – the great sin of the church. It’s the Absalom among the King’s sons.
Paul, speaking from personal experience, can testify that Jews are zealous for God, ‘but their zeal is not based on knowledge.’ “The Message Bible” paraphrases verses 3 and 4 this way: “They don’t seem to realise that this comprehensive setting – things – right that is salvation is God’s business, and a most flourishing business it is. Right across the street they set up their own salvation shops and noisily hawk their wares. After all these years of refusing to really deal with God on His terms, insisting instead on making their own deals, they have nothing to show for it.”
Zeal and sincerity are not enough to put us right with God. The false cults are often sincere and zealous, but they are sadly misguided and their commitment is misdirected. Blind to the truth as it is in Jesus, how they work to establish a rotten self-righteousness. Oh the utter folly of religion without ‘Christ our Righteousness.’
When Paul says in verse 4 that Christ is the end of the law, he means Christ has accomplished justifying righteousness for us. Christ came to bring everyone who believes and trusts into a right relationship with God.
Paul proclaims ‘the word of faith’ which is near everyone, is readily accessible. It is in your mouth and in your heart’ (verse 8). There are two steps to receiving God’s righteousness: confession with the mouth and belief in the heart. Faith is ‘unto righteousness’; confession is ‘ unto salvation.’ To call Jesus ‘KURIOS’ or ‘Lord’ was to count Him unique. ‘KURIOS’ was the normal title of the Roman Emperor and Greek gods.
Here are the famous verses in Romans 10:9-10 that have helped multitudes of people put their trust in Christ. “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” The clinching verse (verse 11), which Paul uses from the Old Testament, is Isaiah 28:16: “No one who believes in Him will ever be disappointed.”
Salvation involves inward belief ‘with your heart’ as well as outward confession ‘with your mouth.’ The unsurpassed good news is featured in verses 12 and 13. Whoever you are, this is for you. “There is no difference between Jew and Gentile – the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’”